A CNN-IBN report says the Punjab government, bolstered obviously by the Centre’s unshakable resolve on the OBC reservation issue, is planning to introduce 25 per cent reservation in sports selections at the district and state level. Simply put, it means one out of every four spots in any team will be reserved, like it or leave it.

Punjab Sports Minister, Gulzar Singh Ranike, has been quoted as saying: “The backward classes have played an important part in all revolutions and so they should be give a chance.” Good move, bad move, what? And what next? Reservations in the cricket and hockey teams? In the Olympics, Asiad , Commonwealth squads?

It can be rightly argued that the backward classes were given the short shrift in education and employment? But have they really been kept out of sport?

9 comments

Gulzar Singh’s cracked the joke of the year, but the joke is on India.

Really, he and the other politicians are overdoing it. Ati aagtha ide.

But the overdoing actually means the reservation issue is experiencing death throes. If economic liberalization — from panchayat levels to the Center — continues in sincerity, market forces will force reservation out in the next decade or two, as communities vie to be competitive in myriad ways.

I believe the market can achieve what the courts could not. Gulzarji, please enjoy your last hurrah.

I am sure Gulzar Singh has been inspired by the ‘Civil Servant’ sinecure cricket player Kulla Tendulkar who regularly appears in all Indian teams whether he scores runs or not! Makes me wonder—is Kulla a ‘reserved’ candidate? I know he is not an OBC though:)

Isn’t it already happening without legal blessings? What is the difference between caste based reservation and zonal quotas as far as competence is concerned? Moreover, it is a known fact that selectors at the division, district and state levels plump for players from their own communities.

This will atleast bring it out in the open that some castes are very powerful enough to be called “backward” (73% of TN population is backward), without providing a single shred of proof of their backwardness.

Imagine a rich Chettiar guy, who typically would own a few Jewellery shops in Chennai, fighting it out in the media how his community is “backward” and why his son should be in the Indian Cricket team and not a Bengali (only 6% is backward).

Then we may even have some accountability and data based reservations.